Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

Adrenaline pumping,Fists raised High, Opening Day!

Got to admit it now, but I was extremely jealous of the rest of the country, and mostly of my own American League divisional foes who got their first glance at their teams the past two days. It was a very uneasy feeling to see the Red Sox and Yankees square up on Sunday night, then take in the magic of seeing so many other teams celebrate the beginning of the 2010 season while my Tampa Bay Rays had their formal run-through for tonight’s Home opener against the Baltimore Orioles.

But quickly as the hours tick away I am getting more and more giddy with anticipation and the excitement threshold is about to borderline again on insanity as we edge closer and closer to seeing the Rays faith unfold for the first time tonight at 7:10 pm EST. But it is Opening Day, and with that comes all sorts of great magical moments that will quickly flash towards the past, present, and hopefully playoff-bound future still to come in 2010 for the Rays. And some of my fond memories of past Home Openers keep flooding my brain and bringing the excitement to untold levels as the adrenaline rushes through my body in anticipation.

Rushing back into my mind is a day, March 31,1998 when a sold-out Tropicana Field held so many Rays fans in anticipation of finally seeing professional baseball played here during the Major League Baseball season that some seemed to hyperventilate at the thought of this day coming true. I was situated up in “The Beach” region of Tropicana Field that night with the rest of the baseball loving workers of the local Pepsi Bottling Group and our local distribution plants as we all shouted, saluted with a few adult beverages and took in this magnificent sight from our high catbird’s seat for the night.

That was the last time I sat in an Upper level seat, but I cherish it because I got to celebrate with a Tampa Bay community on something I hoped and dreamed for all my young life. And to me it was a bit sad that I was 38 years old when Major League Baseball finally got a chance to be played in the Tampa Bay area, and for that, I will always envy my friend’s children who get to grow up idolizing Carl Crawford, Wade Boggs and Bubba Trammell. And it was sad that over 13 years ago, on that special night we suffered a loss to the Detroit Tigers, but it was the beginning of a long and enjoyable journey into the realms of baseball love for me.

And with the pomp and circumstance that surrounds tonight, you can be sure a tear or two might slip towards my eyelid, but never make the light of day as I again see my Rays in their home whites and blues take their place along the First Base foul chalk line as each and everyone of them is introduced to the crowd and get the ovation they al deserve from this community. But it is also another rebirth of friendships that spawn a baseball season, and the updating of information both digitally and emotionally to what has happened in the past off season. It will showcase some of the growth spurts by younger Rays fans, and maybe be an arena for introductions of new spouses, new hairstyle, or even just a renewal of our first love….baseball.

And maybe it will feel like Opening Day 2009 to me again with a flurry of fire thrusting upwards towards the Teflon roof with a huge American flag being unfolded and slowly produce ripples like the Gulf as a singer belts out their rendition of our National Anthem. And you know the local political leaders will all get their chance to possibly hit the mitt during those famous ceremonial First Pitches prior to the game. But the game, and 2010 will not truly begin when the doors of the Trop. Open and Rays players and Coaches greet the fans, which has been their custom for what seems like forever on Opening Day.

It will not be the new eye candy we see as we all flow into the stadium which has taken on a new persona and a new purpose in 2010 to again bust through the door and play deep into October again. The true beginning to this 2010 season will not even take part in that time honored tribute to both teams lining up on the foul lines or seeing Rays Third Baseman Evan Longoria get his Golden Glove tonight, or even Rays rookie Reid Brignac getting the Al Lopez Award for the Best Rookie in Spring Training. The real beginning of this Rays 2010 journey will commence the moment we hear those two special words we have waited for since early October….Those words most definitely shouted loud and clear by a young Rays fan who will be the next generation of Rays fans, tonight truly is just a ballgame until we hear…..”Play Ball!”

2 Comments

Double R – I think you’ll have a lot of reasons to pump that fist this year! Have a great time in ST. PETE!! Get it right people! Good luck my friend. The pitching looks great. I like the Rays whole make-up.
mike

Mike,
You make me sdound like a wrangler at a dude ranch in New Mexico.
But I agree, we need to see the ame breaks we got in 2008 happen in 2010 to get a realistic chance to play again late into October.

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